Morse Rocks Presents: Late Night Bloomer

On Friday, June 19 at the Smokin’ Pony BBQ, well after the sun has set, fans will witness the blossoming sounds of Late Night Bloomer. LNB features long time R&B saxophonist Sal Oliveri with protege and son, Michael Oliveri and a collection of extremely talented performers will be stirring the soul beneath the pre-summer stars. The name Oliveri is synonymous with exceptional music as Sal and his family have been playing and teaching music for over half a century. Rooted in the blues, Late Night Bloomer will be sure to bring raw emotion to their performance.

Besides the elder Oliveri on an assortment of horns, his son percussionist Michael will be generating the back beat with bassist Leroy Seals. A triple guitar assault

Sal Oliveri

is led by Barry Craft with Bill Kenney and Kevin McClaren sharing leads and vocals. Rounding the band out is vocalist Marabeth Brandt.

Bill Kenney

Like many of the Morse Rocks performers, late Night Bloomer has a full-length album soon to be released and will be featuring a number of new songs included on the recording.

When talking about musical talent, this band has bloomed long ago, but its blossoms continue to reach out in directions which continue to soothe the ear.

Why are you performing at Morse Rocks?
I grew up in Saugerties – its my hometown. I also went to school at the Morse School. Ours is an original band with songs that I wrote and I thought it would be great to play a local venue as our fist gig – live performance. Seems fitting to have it all come together at the Morse Rocks event.

Kevin McLaren

As a young artist, what were some of the challenges you faced in getting gigs and getting noticed?
Biggest challenge for me when I was a “young artist” was that I was a minor and the only places available to play then were bars. As a minor, I obviously
could not play at a bar so we were forced to play at CYO dances, school dances, etc. That was fine, but it did not offer a steady playing out experience. Events like the Morse Rocks Festival provides an ideal platform for young people – it could give them a chance to shine. The other obstacle was in finding people who were committed to the project – who could see the potential, embrace the creativity, and not give up on it.What are you hoping to accomplish by performing at Morse Rocks?
I’m hoping that the original tunes go over well. I am curious to see how it will all come together. Perhaps this could be a springboard into more gigs
which is something that we want to do with this new band.

Leroy Seals

Why is it important to be able to connect with other musicians?
You can meet other people with the same goals & interests and perhaps collaborate with them – help each other and learn from each other. As an
artist, you can always learn from other people’s creative expressions. What other artists are doing may not be your thing, but it can open your eyes and
your heart to new experiences and help you to grow as an artist yourself.

What advice do you have for aspiring artists?
Run for the hills! Just kidding…don’t give up – hang in there Sometimes, when it doesn’t seem to be going the way you want, you just gotta hang in
there. Continue to practice and things will find a way to work out. It is worth it. I have had many times where I wondered if it was worth it, but I was
called to it. I love playing music.What are some of the high points of your career?
I am hoping the Morse Rocks Festival will be one. Playing with my father has always been a highpoint for me. Over the years I have been fortunate to
play with my father, a man who raised his family on his passion for and career in music (something that was difficult and demanding for him to do
and that is all but impossible to do in today’s fast-food, digital music world). It has also been a highpoint to meet the many talented people here in our area
and to play with the bands I have played with in the past and that I am playing with now (No Limit, Crawdaddy &, now, Late Night Bloomer).What can audiences expect from your performance?
I’m hoping that they’ll like the music. That they will find us to be a professional, good-sounding, rock & roll band playing its original homegrown
music.

Marabeth Brandt

Who are the members of your band?
Sal Oliveri, my dad, on saxophone, flute & woodwinds in general. My dad has always been a part of my music – he taught me music in a rare,
inspirational way & I treasure the fact that he is a part of this project. Marabeth Brandt on vocals – what a voice! There aren’t words to describe
her talent and ability. Barry Craft on guitar – Barry and I go way back – we actually played at those CYO dances together as kids. Amazing guitar player, tons of energy, and a true interest in nurturing the music. I’ve played with both Barry and Marabeth in No Limit for the past few years. Bill Kenney on guitar – solid guy who knows his stuff. I met him about a year ago & have enjoyed working with him. Bill knows how to cut through the fog and raise the standard of the project.
Kevin McLaren on vocals and guitar – another great singer. I played with him in Crawdaddy and when I began planning how I was going to bring this
project out of my dreams & into reality, I knew I wanted Kevin’s voice on it. Leroy Seals on bass. He naturally lays down a groove like no one else – it
seem effortless & sounds amazing. I have played with him in Crawdaddy for years. Then there is me on the drums laying down the beat and taking it all in.
All of these guys have been instrumental (no pun intended) in bringing this project to life.

About The Author

joedefino

Joe Defino works for the Saugerties Central School district as a teacher. Since 1991, he has worked to create learning opportunities to give students the opportunity to explore authentic experiences with a real-world audience.
The Just Print It activity combines print, video and web in a news gathering, publication and distribution to the world. You will find mistakes and errors, but it is those very same miscues which will forever influence the pursuit of perfection.